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Skywatch for the week of January 23, 2023

Skywatch Monday 1-23-2023.mp3

Mon Jan 23, 2023 THE MOON, VENUS AND SATURN

This evening there will be a conjunction of the moon and the planets Venus and Saturn that can be seen in the southwest after sunset. The moon will be the first thing you see, even before it gets dark. It will appear as a new crescent, a thin sliver along the right side of the moon, with its bow aimed down toward the setting sun above the southwest horizon. Next to appear will be the planet Venus, a brilliant star-like object a litte below and to the right of the moon. Then the planet Saturn will show up as a middling-bright, yellow tinted star immediately to the right of Venus. But that won’t happen until it gets dark. In the meanwhile, look up above Venus and the moon, and if you follow the line made by these two celestial objects, it will lead you on to the planets Jupiter and Mars!

Skywatch Tuesday 1-24-2023.mp3

Tue Jan 24, 2023 NAME THAT CONSTELLATION - JANUARY

Can you identify the 10th largest constellation? It is bordered on the north by Delphinus, Equuleus, Pegasus and Pisces; on the south by Capricornus, Piscis Austrinus and Pictor; on the west by Cetus and Pisces again; and on the east by Aquila and Capricornus again. Within its borders are the globular star clusters M2 and M72, plus the Helix Nebula. This mythological figure sometimes represents Ganymede, the cup bearer of the gods, but also Hercules, who diverted the course of two rivers to clean the Augean stables. There are no bright stars in it, but a few stars near the top of the constellation look like a letter Y, and is supposed to represent a jug of water, and tonight the waxing crescent moon can be found below it. Can you name this star figure, the eleventh constellation of the zodiac? The answer is Aquarius, the Water Carrier, visible in the southwestern sky after sunset.

Skywatch Wednesday 1-25-2023.mp3

Wed Jan 25, 2023 MOON AND JUPITER TOGETHER

A couple of nights ago, the new crescent moon and the planet Venus, a brilliant star-like object in the southwestern sky these early evenings, could be found close together, something that astronomers call a conjunction. But that was Monday night. The moon has since moved on, compelled by the earth’s gravity to orbit our planet once a month. Now the moon can be found higher in the south sky, and just below another bright, star-like object, the planet Jupiter. The moon will appear as a fat crescent, well-placed for viewing in the heavens. Jupiter can be found just above and to the left of the moon. Both are within the borders of the constellation of Pisces, right below the western fish. After tonight the moon will continue in its eastward path through the constellations, and by next Monday night will be alongside of the planet Mars.

Skywatch Thursday 1-26-2023.mp3

Thu Jan 26, 2023 HEVELIUS

The Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius was born on January 28, 1611. His family owned a brewery in Danzig, and he used his fortune to build an observatory and study the heavens. Hevelius made the first moon atlas, and named many lunar features, such as the Ocean of Storms, the Sea of Rain, the Sea of Tranquility – all in Latin, of course – Mare Imbrium, Mare Tranquilitatis, and so on. He also took the names of various mountain ranges on earth, such as the Alps, the Appenines, and the Caucasus, and applied them to the mountain-like walls of lunar craters. And Hevelius made up many new constellation patterns that we recognize today, such as Lynx the Bobcat, Vulpecula the Fox, Scutum the Shield, Lacerta the Lizard, Leo Minor the Little Lion and the hunting dogs called Canes Venatici.

Skywatch Friday 1-27-2023.mp3

Fri Jan 27, 2023 ASTRONOMY DAY

The Treasure Coast Astronomical Society will host Astronomy Day at Indian River State College tomorrow, January 28th - from 3 pm until 9 pm, at the Planetarium and Science Center. There will be meteorite displays, telescope clinics, safe, filtered guided views of the sun, weather permitting, plus kids activities like cosmic cornhole – and much more. Bring your telescope to the telescope clinic and the Treasure Coast Astronomical Society will show you how to make it work! And when it gets dark that evening, we hope to provide telescopic views of the moon, as well as some planets and stars. This astronomy day event is free, no tickets are necessary. Just dress warm, bring a lounge chair for viewing the sky and come on out to the Hallstrom Planetarium and the IRSC Science Center at 30th Street and Virginia Avenue on the Fort Pierce campus.